Fusions: ''New York, the fans put on a show today. It was really really class.''
The Boston Uprising is a team not many OWL analysts and community figures are high on, and it turns out, neither are New Yorkers. The NYC crowd made it a very strict point to boo as loud as possible when Boston took the stage, giving them about 3x the energy they gave for the London Spitfire. Through the constant cheering whenever the NYXL secured an elimination, and at least two chants of “BOSTON SUCKS” throughout the match, the rebuilt roster from New England couldn’t score a single map. Flex Dps Kelsey "Colourhex" Birse, Flex Dps Sang-beom "Munchkin" Byeon, and main tank Cameron "Fusions" Bosworth spoke with reporters after the match. Flex Dps Munchkin talked first about the loss but still was optimistic about their chances moving forward.
Many people are rating you the most bottom team in the league, what is the team mentality around that and what do you have to say to critics?
Munchkin – "If I weren't on Boston, maybe I would also rank us pretty low. But I think it’s a good thing because everyone looks at us as underdogs."
What are the heroes you feel you can play the best to really strengthen your team? Also how does it feel to be on a mixed roster again?
Munchkin – “In terms of language barriers, it’s getting better over time. But my goal is to be able to play every hero, so I'll keep practicing toward that… Getting the fundamentals down during practice was hard, but it'll get better over time.”
Click to enlargeBoth Fusions and Colourhex were nothing but smiles, having fed tremendously off the New York energy. “The energy is nuts.” Colourhex said. “New York, the fans put on a show today. It was really really class. We walked out and the boos just made me so excited. The Blizzard Arena is fun but when you get used to the same arena... this a lot more exciting.”, added Fusions.
Fusions you're seen as the leader of this team. You're very vocal, very vibrant. What makes Boston 2020 different than Boston 2019?
Fusions – “Boston this year has a lot more motivated and hungry players I'd say. Everyone is very close together. We're all good friends already and we've only been together for a month and a bit. Last year, less so. So, I definitely think this year we're going to keep improving as a team. No one wants to put each other down, just to keep bringing each other up. Although I've definitely taken a bit of a step back in the shot-calling roll right now. Axxiom is doing a really good job with that right now, everyone's fitting their own way into the comms quite well. Right now, everyone’s been doing a bit of everything and it's very good.”
Mineral's your new head coach, what does he bring to your team for this year?
Fusions - “Mineral being the head coach, after we didn't have a head coach last season, he's done a really good job of just molding that role and being like the person that everyone looks at for primary guidance, the person that everyone can go to. He's also done a very good job of making sure everyone wants to listen to him. If he has to be the bad guy because the players don’t agree on something he will. So that's something that I've really enjoyed so far. I think he's been a very commanding leader. That's something that a lot of teams need.”
Colourhex - “It feels a lot more structured which I really like. You can go to him and talk about anything.”
When you see an enemy player pull off an insane clutch, do you think there's now more pressure to do the same?
Fusions – “It definitely does sometimes, but that's something that you learn with time. Really, you just can't think about that you have to take each fight as it comes. Map by map.”
Colourhex – “For me it’s, you lose that fight, alright reset for the next one. You can't think about that.”
Both players wrapped up with talking about their most anticipated cities to visit.
Fusions – “Boston, obviously, but aside from Boston, playing in London for me. Playing in front of, not a ‘home crowd’ but home crowd for me. It's going to be fun for me.”
Colourhex – “London for me too. I was born in England, not a lot of people know that. My parents lived there for 20 years; they say London is amazing. I would like to go there and see it for myself.”
For anyone wondering, did they get a chance to eat New York pizza? Unfortunately, no.
Image courtesy of Ben Pursell and Stewart Volland for Blizzard Entertainment.